With anticipation running high at Cannes 2024, Harris Dickinson commands the spotlight as he unveils his feature directing debut with “Urchin,” a drama about a drifter set to premiere at this year’s festival. Amid glitz, global attention, and persistent industry challenges, Dickinson’s project arrives at a critical moment for the film market, which has struggled to recapture its earlier vibrancy as studios and streamers reduce spending and audience habits transform in the post-pandemic era.
The Cannes Film Festival, known for its breathtaking red carpet moments and its power to celebrate cinema’s greatest talents against the enchanting Riviera backdrop, once again serves as a barometer for the state of global filmmaking. This year, heightened expectations are attached not only to established directors but also to newer voices stepping behind the camera. Harris Dickinson’s leap to feature directing with “Urchin” symbolizes the festival’s continuing role in championing fresh creative visions, even as economic headwinds pressure the industry to evolve.
The backdrop to Dickinson’s debut is a film marketplace searching for renewed energy. In recent years, the box office has faced a steep decline, unable to return to pre-pandemic heights, while streaming platforms and traditional studios pull back on investments. Major deals, once the highlight of entertainment gatherings like Cannes, have become harder to secure, a shift that has not gone unnoticed by industry leaders. Kent Sanderson, president of Bleecker Street Media, sums up the situation:
“It’s not as healthy a business as it was a few years ago. Streamers were investing heavily in movies and there’s been a slowdown. There’s an imbalance between the number of slots studios and streamers have versus the number of films with significant budgets that are trying to find homes.”
This imbalance was evident at the recent Sundance Festival, where few films secured immediate, high-profile distribution. The underlying cause, many assert, traces back to the aftershocks of the 2023 actors’ and writers’ strikes, which drastically disrupted production schedules and left several premieres appearing underdeveloped. Now, with Harris Dickinson’s “Urchin” and other promising titles ready for consideration at Cannes, there is hope that the festival’s selection signals an industry rebound, drawing buyers with both star power and innovative storytelling.
According to Glen Basner, CEO of FilmNation, there is a cautious sense of renewal in the air. Reflecting on recent months, he observes,
“After the strikes, it was slow getting back on track. Over the last two months, it’s feeling like a more normalized environment. People are getting back to work and they’re focused in on what is exciting to them, and that means we’re seeing better material.”
For Harris Dickinson, this moment reflects a blend of risk and ambition—stepping beyond acting into directing at a time when creative excellence carries the burden of market revival.
Supporting Dickinson at Cannes are several other high-profile projects, including Richard Linklater’s exploration of the making of Jean-Luc Godard’s “Breathless” and Olivia Wilde’s upcoming film “The Invite.” Yet, it is Harris Dickinson—the actor-turned-director—who epitomizes the festival’s broader hopes: that new perspectives and compelling narratives can help attract audiences and investors alike. “Urchin,” at its core, stands as a compelling drama that industry insiders believe could both challenge and inspire the current market, if it secures the right support amid fierce competition for financing and distribution.
Veterans like John Sloss of Cinetic Media echo an optimistic, if measured, outlook. Despite reports of cost-cutting and uncertainty across Hollywood, Sloss points to the ongoing commitment of leading platforms:
“Netflix is as active in the market as it’s always been. Disney is feeling its way back from the pandemic. Warners is having a good go at it.”
Strong support from major players could prove vital for films such as Harris Dickinson’s, as both credibility and financial backing remain essential to success in a fluctuating landscape.
Against this backdrop of opportunity and uncertainty, political developments have added further complexity. Just before Cannes began, U.S. President Donald Trump raised alarms with a proposal to impose 100% tariffs on films produced outside the United States—an announcement intended to spur domestic film production, but one that has caused widespread concern among industry executives, especially in the independent sector. Many movies, including international collaborations, rely heavily on foreign incentives to move forward. However, as the festival opened, Trump appeared to soften his stance, stating that no final decisions had been made and leaving the door open for negotiation.
Todd Olsson, an executive working to market films like DeHaan’s “Wardriver” to studio buyers, voiced the industry’s practical worries:
“It’s hard to understand how [tariffs] would work. Does it apply to the company that makes the film or to the U.S. distributor who buys it? How do you police that? By the time they figure that out, I’m not even sure Trump will be in office.”
The uncertain political climate adds to the urgency and complexity of the festival’s negotiations, making the stakes higher for newcomers like Harris Dickinson and their potential backers.
On the ground at Cannes, strategies for cutting through the crowded marketplace have become more inventive. From high-energy social media tactics aimed at boosting screening attendance to signature in-person events, film sales professionals are doing everything possible to attract attention. While much of the focus remains on established stars and marquee directors, the festival’s enduring appeal rests on its ability to bring new talent to the forefront—an opportunity Harris Dickinson is poised to seize with his move into directing.
The anticipation surrounding Dickinson’s feature directing debut reveals deeper currents shaping Cannes 2024. His project stands at the confluence of creativity, innovation, and calculated risk, emblematic of the resilience the market demands amid ongoing financial and cultural shifts. The festival’s outcome could signal not just the trajectory of Dickinson’s career, but also the prospects of similar transitions as other actor-directors contemplate stepping behind the camera.
The implications of how “Urchin” and other Cannes entries perform, both critically and commercially, will reverberate well beyond the festival itself. If Harris Dickinson’s feature directing effort finds success, it could catalyze renewed investor confidence, inspire additional high-profile debuts, and signal that ambitious creative visions remain vital to the global industry’s future. Conversely, should challenges persist or deals falter, industry optimism could give way to further belt-tightening, making opportunities for emerging filmmakers even harder to secure.
As buyers, critics, and audiences turn their attention to Harris Dickinson and his directorial premiere, all eyes are fixed not only on the screens but on the industry’s next steps—hoping that the Cannes spotlight will help illuminate a path forward for cinema at a critical crossroads.
